january 9 // colby bowers + jamie pettis

This month, we are showing Oklahoma based Colby Bowers and former native Jamie Pettis. Both artists blend their bodies of brilliantly prismatic work for our 2nd friday artist feature.

Colby has drawn inspiration from the natural world for his recent body of work. His vibrant high contrast subjects, both animal and insect, contrast against a vibrant singular colored background. Jamie’s works are inspired by her roots in Oklahoma. Expanding on her recent series of cityscapes, she has created her own vision of downtown Oklahoma City while blending a cast of her signature portraits to bring together a feel of “coming home."

We are also releasing a limited edition t-shirt/print combination this Friday. Dylan Bradway’s trademark bunny character from his 2008 series is making a re-entrance for a limited time. Print and shirt combination will be available this month while supplies last for $75, a savings of $20.

Artist Questions

Colby Bowers
What is your medium process?
I am currently working in spray paint and acrylics with bright and distinct pallets.

Where are you from?
Born in Duncan, OK. Currently living in Choctaw, OK.

What inspires you?
For this group of paintings I wanted to have some fun with the creative process drawing inspiration from the patterns and shapes of the animal and insect world. My inspiration begins with a strong desire to be creative and curiosity of the natural world.

How did you get started?
I've been doodling, drawing, and playing music most of my life but my passion for art really began while studying art at UCO.

What are your goals for the future?
I hope to continue to develop my skills as a painter, further explore color and composition in order to define my style, and ultimately inspire others to be creative.

Jaime Pettis
What is your medium process?
Currently, I predominantly use oils on canvas. Often on larger scale pieces, however, I will base the canvas (first coat of the painting) with acrylics. For some reason I feel freer and more okay with using a ton of acrylics to get the canvas covered. After that, everything is done in oils. Oils are the best.

Where are you from?
I grew up in a town called Holdenville in southeast Oklahoma. My freshman through junior years of high school I moved to Norman. My senior year of high school I moved back to Holdenville and graduated there.

What inspires you?
Coming home to Oklahoma inspires me; people inspire me. The message in my current works is very much OKC centered. Although I'm known for my obsession of painting faces, recently my fans have taken a huge interest in an ongoing series which I call ‘Growing Cities’. I love painting people, but over the years that is what I have focused on primarily. With some suggestions, however, I decided to break out of the portraiture mind frame, and free up into something else. One day I just picked up a brush, and began throwing down various brush strokes that started to form into a city skyline. Once I realized it could be turned into a city I began to think of OKC, and let that channel through me as my source of inspiration. That particular piece sold to a woman in San Francisco before I could even exhibit it, and ‘Growing Cities’ started it’s journey. People started requesting skylines, and interpretations of their owncities, and suddenly I had commission work in demand like I’d never experienced before. And so what I’ve done with this current show is incorporated my love for faces with the peoples love for my cities which is a ‘win win’ for everyone! In the end, my theme with the DNA exhibit is centered around Oklahoma City, and coming home.!

How did you get started?
I got started in my father's art studio in downtown Holdenville, Oklahoma. He's a painter, too, and he would take us to paint with him every Saturday.

What are your goals for the future?
This past year I've been working to make painting a more full-time thing which was one of last years goals. I'd say I'm about 3/4 of the way there. This years goals are to achieve that full-time closure, and take my work to the next level. I want to get to a place with my composition where I feel like I've truly 'stepped-up', and grown. From there, I want more people to see my work by getting it seen in different cities such as Los Angeles, NYC, and Minneapolis.